Sewing-machine



(No Model.) J REEGE 4 Sheets-'Sheet 1.

SEWING MACHINE. No. 520,657. Patented May 29, 1894,

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SEWING MACHINE.

No. 520,657. Patented May 29, 1894.A

(No Model.) 4 sheets-sheet 3.

J. BEECH. SEWING MACHINE'.

Patented May l,29, 1894.

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SEWING MAHINE. No. 520,657. n Patented May 2 9, 1894.

mnlnnlllmn H m HIIIIIIH @6. l a ..lllgllmpl f Q -lmlwm '13' www i umm HHH? m24 f f. Y@ if Nrrn raras JOHN REEOE, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS.

SEWING-MACHINE.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 520,657, dated May 29, 1894.

Application filed September 25, 1891. Serial No. 406,790 (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that I, JOHN REECE, of Boston, county of Suffolk, State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement in Sewing-Machines for Staying or Tacking with Thread, of which the following description, in connection with the accompanying drawings, is a specification, like letters and figures on the drawings representing like parts.

In the manufacture of shoes and other articles of leather and cloth it is frequently necessary and desirable to stay or tack a part thereof which is to be subjected to consider# able strain, to thus obviate tearing the material at that point or the pulling apart of the same or the separation of the material. The material to be united in the formation of the stay or stitching, whether a shoe-upper or other usual article of wearing apparel, and of cloth or leather, is held in a clamp, which carries the material along under the reciprocating needle in such direction and order as to take several long stitches back and forth, one over and alongside of another, and afterward to move the material in an angular direction to its previous or first movement whereby the stitches last to be made are caused to cross over laterally, or in an opposite direction to, the stitches first made, and by giving to the clamp a more or less universal movement under the control of a pattern-cam or surface, the staying or tacking may be made to present a rectangular or a star-like or crescent-like appearance.

In the use of sewing machines, when the machine is stopped for the removal of the work, or for change of position thereof, as in staying, tacking, tbc., the operator usually pulls upon the needle thread between the tension device, of whatever form, and the material, to thus form sufficient slack thread, and then pulls enough of the needle thread through the eye of the needle to leave sufcient thread for the formation of a stitch thread between the eye of the needle and the material by and during the operation of lifting the presser or feeding foot, or in other words, the lifting of the said foot,-it constituting the upper member of the clamp,-and the cutting ed of the thread is effected at one and the same operation, the said thread being cut off without previously drawing additional slack thread through the eye of lthe needle at that side of the'needle from which the needle-thread runs tothe material, and consequently the minimum amount of thread is consumed.

In' my invention as herein embodied, the take-up or the thread controlling mechanism is mounted upon a fnlcrum which is made movable by a cam or device which acts at the proper time to change the position of said fulcrum so that the take-up or thread-controller gives up an eXtra amount of slack thread to the needle at or about as the thread is to be cut, said slackbeing left in the thread during the formation of the rst or commencing stitch to be made when the sewing mechanism is again started, to thereby prevent the needle-thread from being drawn back through the eye of the needle by the thread-controlling mechanism during the operation of making a iirst stitch.

Prior to my invention I am aware that it has been customary to employ a pull-off, it operating at each stitch to pullo a varying quantity of thread for the needle and store it up to meet the requirements of the material should it vary in thickness at the next stitch; and so, also, I am aware that it has been proposed to use a clamping tension, and open the same for a longer or shorter period accordingto thelength of thestitch to be made. Prior to my invention I am not aware, however, that a sewing machine has ever been provided With means whereby an eXtra amount of needle-thread may be given up or made slack prior to severing the needle-thread, said thread being left slack while making the first or commencing stitch as the machine is again started, and hence, my invention is not limited to the exact means employed for such tinuous thread, and having provision for automatically varying the length of thefeed to effect different lengths of stitch, has ever been provided with thread controlling mech-v anism including a take-up, having a variable throw to thereby automatically provide for different lengths of thread required for different lengths of stitch. This feature of giving up an eXtra amount of slack in the needle-thread prior to cutting the said thread off, and before starting the machine for stitching, and also for automatically giving up an extra amount of slack thread for the longer stitches, is applicable to 'any and all sewing machines with but slight modifications. The needle-thread is severed between the work and the eye of the needle before the last stitch made before stopping the machine, is drawn up, and when the iirst stitch is to be made, the needle in its first descent,-said needle having the free end of the needle-thread eX tended for a short distance beyond its eye,- pushes the needle-thread through the material, and forms aloop which is entered by the under thread-carrier or looper, but as the loop so formed is unattached to the material and the thread extended beyond the eye of the needle is so short, the thread-carrier or looper pulls down the said free end of thread, and at the same time as the needle rises, the slack previously given up in the needle-thread for the first stitch, enables the needle-bar to complete its ascent withoutit or the take-up pulling the free end of the needle-thread up through the material, but at the second descent of the needle, the loop in the needlethread is formed and locked in usual manner, the thread-controller giving up at its second stitch some of its additional slack. Pulling the free end of the needle-thread of the first stitch-through to the wrong side of the work instead of leaving it at the right side of the work obviates the necessity of the operator cutting oif said free end when finishing the work.

In the form in which I have chosen to illustrate my invention, the take-up has its fulcrum upon a slide-bar controlled by a cam, and the clamp for holding the material has a series of longer longitudinal vibrations followed by a series of transverse shorter strokes, and a predetermined number of stitches having been made in the material, the clamp or feed motion is stopped by or through a proper clutch, and preferably the automatic threadcutting mechanism comes into operation. The depressing of the foot of the clamp upon the material effects the starting of the machine for another cycle of stitches, and the lifting of the foot effects or determines the cutting o of the thread between the eye of the needle and the work, the two results being performed by one and the same operation.

Figure 1 is a right hand side elevation of a machine embodying my invention. Fig. 2 is a face view of the cam E which actuates the feed clamp. Fig. 3 is a face view of the cam C which actuates the take-up. Fig. 4 isaperipheral View developed of the cam F which gives to the feed its longer or first series of stitches. Fig. 5 is a left hand end elevation of the machine shown in Fig. 1, a portion of the bed-plate being broken out to show parts behind it; Fig. 6, a vertical section in the line x, Fig. l, looking to the left; Fig. 7, a vertical section in the line Fig. 1, looking to the right. Fig. 8 is an under side view of the machine containing my invention. Fig. 9 shows one face of the cam G4, viz.,-the face having the cam to control the clutch mechanism. Fig. 10 shows the opposite side face of the said cam C4, it having the groove to control the take-up fulcrum. Fig. 11 is a plan view of the machine shown in Fig. 1, below the dotted line x2. Fig. 12 is a section in the line ac3, Fig. 1. Fig. 13 shows a partial front elevation of the machine, especially the foot of the clamp and the thread-cutting mechanism, the needle being elevated, and Fig. 14 is a detail showing the slide and the lower end of the take-up lever. Fig. 15 on an enlarged scale shows one form of stay which may be made on the machine herein to be described, viz:-a stay having a series of long stitches substantially superimposed and crossed over by a series of shorter stitches, the drawing showing the stitches more separated than they are in practice.

The frame-Work consists essentially of a bed A and overhanging arm A', having at its front end suitable bearings for the needle-bar A2, provided with an eye-pointed needle a supplied with thread from some suitable source, the needle thread being acted upon by a suitable tension device A3 and by a take-up A4, having peculiar motions it constituting part of thread-controlling mechanism, as will be described.

The course of the needle thread is shown in Fig. 1.

The needle-bar A2 derives its reciprocations from a lever A5, pivoted at A6, see Fig. 5, and having jointed to its rear end the rod A7, eX- tended from a strap A8, embracing an eccentric A9, fast on the main shaft A10 of the machine. The shaft A10 has at one end a crankpin B, which receives upon it one end of a lever B', slotted at B2, see Fig. 5, to embrace and slide on a fulcrum-block B3, mounted loosely on a screw or stud B4, see Fig. 8, the opposite end of the said lever engaging a crank-pin B5, extended from a shoe B6, fitted in guideways in an arm B7, fast on a shaft B8, having a suitable shuttle-carrier or driver to rotate the shuttle or under-thread-carrierB9, it being adapted to be rotated in a suitable circular raceway.

The shuttle herein shown is of usual construction, it being substantially such a shuttle as in United States Patent No. 404,863, heretofore granted to me; but this invention is not to be limited to the particular underthread-carrier shown, as instead I may employ any other usual orsuitable complement- IOO IIO

IIS

ary stitch-forming device to co-operate With the needle and its thread.

The shaft A10 has fast upon it a cam C, shown separately-in Fig. 3, it having a groove at one side to receive a roller or other stud a extended from the lower end of the take-up lever, pivoted at a2 on a stud extended from a slide-bar C said cam C operating said take-up after each stitch. The slide-bar C is slotted as at C2, see Fig. 14, to embrace the cam-shaft C3, the said slide-bar having a roller or other stud a4 which enters acam groove a5 see Fig. 10 in one side of the cam C4, fast on the said shaft C3. The fulcrum stud a2 for the take-up lever A4 is extended through the slide C (see Fig. 14) and enters a radius-bar a5, having its fulcrum on a stud a7, of the bedplate.

The cam O4, see Fig. 10,'has at one side a cam groove a5, shaped as therein shown, said cam having a rather sharp incline at 44 between its part 45 of greatest throw and its part 46 of least throw, said roller or other stud a4 occupying the position shown in said Fig. 10 just before the slack thread is to be given up and the thread cut off, the inclined part 44 of the cam acting on said roll while the first stitch at the starting of the machine is to be made, to thus give up the maximum of slack thread, the part 45 of the cam acting on said stud while the longer stitches shown in Fig. 15 are being made, and during the time that the stud travels on the portion 45 of the cam, the take-up of the thread-controlling mechanism is so actuated as to afford i the greatest amount of slack thread for the long stitches then being made. shorter stitches or those covering the longer stitchesare to be made the stud d4 is acted upon by the portions 47 and 46 of the cam surface referred to so that the slide C is put into position to enable the take-up to deliver .a proper amount of thread for the shorter stitches.

In the machine under consideration the cam C4 is rotated sixteen times to one rotation of the cam C.

From the foregoing description and the shape of the cam, it will be noticed that just as the needle ascends for the last stitch of a seriesy of stitches the part 44 of the cam referred to acts to incidentally give up slack thread so that when the needle-thread is cut 0H, the take-up will not be straining the thread and consequently the needle-thread will not be subjected to strain which will tend to unthread the needle.

The shaft C3 has two cams E, F. The cam E has, as shown in this present embodiment of my invention, a cam groove, shaped as represented in Fig. 2, it having a series of short curves 2, 3, 2, 3, 2, 3, and a long dwell portion 4,while the cam F has a long portion 5, slightly inclined, and four abrupt quick throws 6, 6, 6, 6.

The machine has a sliding rock-shaft G, mounted in suitable bearings, as G This rock-shaft has fastened toit by set-screw 7 an When thearm G2, having at its opposite end a'suitable roller or other stud 8 which enters the irregular groove in the cam E, the said cam for about half of its rotation rocking the said shaft and for the remainder of its revolution holding the said shaft so that it may only slide in its bearings. The shaft G has secured to it by set-screw 10 a hub GS, which is extended up through a slotV in the bed of the machine where ears of the hub receive a stud G4, which stud receives ears 12 of the feedcarrying arm H, provided at its front end with a feeding presser-foot b, which is slotted in usual-manner for the passage through it of the needle and which rests upon the material, the movements of the foot, to be described, while pressed upon the material, causing the material to be moved in one or the otherdirection over the throat-plate b', which may be of any usual or suitable construction. The arm H has erected upon it a lug H', which is acted upon at its upper end by a friction spring H2, which serves to prevent the feedarm from being moved too quickly by its act-y uating devices. The Vstud G4 also serves as the fulcrum for a foot lever b2, having its short arm extended up into a notch made in the arm H, as best shown in Fig.11, the said 1ever b2 being in turn notched to receive the short arm c of the lever c', pivoted at c2 on A IOO the slot in the presser foot serving as the second member of the cutting device. The lever b2 is acted upon at one end by a suitable spring, as b3, which normally keeps the presser-foot down upon the material in a yielding manner. The rear end of the lever b2 has pivoted upon it at 13 a latch 14, to which is jointed near its fulcrum at 15 a rod or link 16, which in practice is extended down below the machine to the floor, or into such position as to be connected with a suitable hand or knee lever of usual construction, movement of which will depress the rear end of the le-v ver b2 to lift the presser-foot from the work. During the rst part of the downward movement of the long arm of the lever b2 the thread-cutter is operated to sever the thread, the needle-bar being then elevated, and during the further movementof the said lever under the action of the treadle or knee-lever,-

of whatever form, the presser-foot is lifted and the latch referred to is caused to engage a web 18, fast on the stop-motion shaft 19, so that when thepressure is removed from the treadle or knee-lever the spring b3 may act through the latch 14 to turn the stop-motion shaft in the direction to cause the projection b4, carried by the arm b5 of the said stop-motion shaft, to be lifted and release the dog 67, which is common to United States Patent No. 367,063, said dog in said patent being designated by the letter a4, it, when released, act- IIO ing'to fasten operatively to the main shaft A10 the belt pulley bs, like the belt pulley employed in the said patent, thus securing the belt pulley to and so as to rotate the said shaft.

The dog and belt pulley referred to constitute part of an automatic clutch for stopping and starting the machine, all as fully described in my said patent; but instead of the particular form of clutch shown I may employ any other usual or suitable device.

The cam groove in the periphery of the cam F receives a roller or other stud 2O at one end of a lever d, slotted, as at d', see Fig. 11, to embrace and slide upon a guide-block cl2, loosely mounted upon astud cls, connected to the bed-plate of the machine. At its opposite end the said lever d is connected by a stud screw d4 to ablock d5, see Fig. 7, forked at its lower end to embrace loosely the sliding and rocking shaft G, and to embrace a lug or collar d0, secured upon the said shaft G by a set-screw d10 between the forked arm of the block d5. The movement of the lever d by the cam F causes the shaft G and the presser-foot arm H carried thereby, as before described, to be Vibratedlaterally or horizontally, as herein shown, five times, see the cam throws 6, Fig. 4, and during the remaining portion of the rotation of the camthe sixth motion of the arm H and presser, foot is effected, that motion requiring longer time than the ve preceding throws. During the time that the cam throws 6 are operative to move the presser-foot, as stated, the portion 4 of the cam E receives the roller or other stud which enters it. The shaft C3 carrying the cam C4 has fast upon it a toothed gear g which is engaged and rotated through the train of gearing consisting of intermediate pinions g2, g', g, the pinion g being fast on the shaft A10 which is the power shaft, and it will be understood that as the said cam O4 is rotated, the slide C having the roller stud 0.4 entering the groove a0 of said cam, will, as the said stud is acted upon by the parts 44 and 45 of the cam, carry the fulcrum 0,2 of the take-up lever toward the needle-bar, causing the said take-up,-it havinga uniform stroke imparted to it by the cam 0,-to move toward the needle-bar, and consequently it will give up more slack in the needle-thread, and, as stated, it will give up this slack thread preparatory to cutting o the needle-thread to thus relieve the needle-thread from strain, and the take-up,-notwithstanding itis vibrated,-willleaveasufficient amount of slack thread to enable the first stitch of a series of stitches to be correctly made, notwithstanding only a very short length of thread is extended through its eye.

In operation, let it be assumed that the material in which the stitching is to be made, is in the machine, and over the throat plate thereof and under the presser-foot, and that the end of the needle-thread is extended but slightly through the eye of the needle in the position in which it was left when the needlethread was cut off between the presser-foot and the eye of the needle. The operator will now start the machine in usual manner, the thread controlling mechanism standing in such position with relation to its operating devices as toleave an unusual amount of slack in the needle-thread. At the first descent of the needle the free end of the thread will be pulled down through the material, as stated but at the ascent of theneedle the take-up will not be moved sufficiently to pull the free end of the needle thread up through the work, but will leave the end of the needle-th read in the material. At the next descent of the needle, a loop will be formed in the thread, said loop will be engaged by the under threadcarrier, and as the needle rises some of the extra slack is taken up, and atthe succeeding stitches the take-up has its throw controlled by the cam referred to, according to the length of the stitch to be made, so that the quantity of thread for the length of the stitch may be automatically provided. At the completion of the first descent of the needle, the under-thread-carrier, of whatever form, engages the loop of needle thread, and the same being unattached to the material, the end of the loop is drawn down through the material while the needle rises. When the slide C is pushed forward, changing the position of the fulcrum of the take-up, it enables the latter to give off an extra amount IOO of slack thread for the first stitch, and during the rst ascent of the needle-bar the take-up is moved in regular manner by its cam C, fast on the main-shaft A10, but,owing to the changed position of the fulcrum of the said lever, it takes up little if any of the slack thread delivered up by it when the bar C is moved forward to provide this extra slack, as stated. The needle having been elevated, the presser-foot is moved quickly by one of the throws 6 of the cam F, and the needle again descends, this time forming a loop, which is caught in usual manner bythe under-thread-carrier, of whatever form. During the second ascent of the needle, the takeup acts in usual manner, and at this second ascent and during subsequent ascents of the needle, the slide-bar C is gradually, by its cam groove d5, drawn backwardly until the fulcrum for the take-upis'in its normal position, at which time the take-up acts normally to take up all the slack thread.

In staying or tacking, for which the present machine is more especially devised, I have provided that the presser-foot shall be moved backward and forward for live strokes, making rather long stitches which are superimposed one upon the other, and at the end say of the fifth stroke of the presser-foot the roller or other stud 20 enters the groove portion 5 of the cam F, and thereafter until the machine is stopped the presser-foot has a slow motion in one direction; but as the stud 2O enters the portion 5 the stud 8 comes into IIO SCI

one of the portions 3 of the vcam E and the latter cam commences to rockthe shaft G, so that the presser-foot is given throws backward and forward but for a less extent, substantially at rightangles to its previous movement, thus enabling the needle and stitchforming mechanism, which are operated as usual, to stitch laterally across with short stitches the series of long stitches previously made. The series of stitches having been completed to constitute the stay or tack, the machine, as herein represented, is stopped 'by the roller or other stud 30, (carried by an arm 31, shown by dotted lines, Fig. l, and attached to the stop-motion shaft 19, and acted upon by the spring 32,) entering a notch 33 in the cam C4, see Fig. 9, thus placing the projection b4 of the arm h5, in position to be struck by the dog 127, which rotates with the shaft A10. The machine having been stopped automatically, the operator by or through a suitable treadle or knee lever, as described, will move the lever b2, and during this rst movement will actuate the thread-cutter, as described, and then lift the presser-foot and place the latch under the wing 18, leaving it in position to partially turn the stop-motion shaft as soon as the treadle or knee lever is released to let the presser-foot descend upon the material.

It will be understood from the foregoing description that when the first stitch is to be made the distance between the tension device and the eye of the needle, measuring through the take-up or equivalentdevice for controlling or taking up the needle thread, is less than at any other time during the stitching operation.

Having described my invention, what I claim, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, 1s-

l. A sewing machine containing the followlng instrumentalities, viZ;-a stitch-forming mechanism comprehending an eye-pointed needle and complemental under thread carrier; feeding-mechanism to feed the material; devices to actuate said feeding-mechanism automatically to produce a series of stitches differing in length; a tension device; independent thread-controlling devices to act on the needle-thread between the said tension device and the needle; and devices to actuate the said thread-controlling devices in a vari-4 able manner to supply the proper amount of thread to suit the different lengths of feed stroke and stitch, substantially as described.

2. A sewing machine containing the following instrumentalities, ViZ;-a stitch-forming mechanism comprehending an eye-pointed needle and complemental under-thread carrier; feeding mechanism to feed the material; devices to actuate said feeding mechanism automatically to produce a series of stitches diering in length; a tension device; independent thread-controlling devices to act on the needle-thread between the said tension device and the needle; and devices to actuate the said thread-controlling devices in avariable manner to supply the proper amount of thread t0 suit the different lengths of feed stroke and stitch; and devices to automatically( stop the feeding and stitch -forming mechanism after a predetermined number of stitches have been made, substantially as described.

3. A sewing machine containing the following instrumentalities, viZ;-a stitch-forming mechanism comprehending an eye-pointed needle and complemental under thread carrier; feeding mechanism to feed the material; devices to actuate said feeding mechanism automatically to produce a series of stitches varying in length; thread-controlling devices; devices to actuate the same in a variable manner to supply the proper amount of thread to suit the different lengths of feed stroke and stitch; devices to automatically stop the feeding and stitch-forming mechanism after a predetermined number of stitches have been made; and athread-cutting mechanism to cut off the thread as the stitching is stopped, substantially as described. e

4. The combination with stitch forming mechanism, and a take-up, of means for automatically vibrating the take-up and for changing the fulcrum of the take-up to thereby su pply an eXtra amount of slack thread to the needle of the stitch-forming mechanism preparatory to stitching, a presser-foot, a leverlike cutting blade pivoted thereto, and a device to rst actuate the lever-like cutting blade and then elevate the presser-foot, substantially as described.

5. In a sewing machine, the combination with stitch forming mechanism; needlethread controlling devices; and thread-cutting mechanism; of devices for operating said thread-controlling devices to automatically give up an eXtra amount of thread preparatory to cutting off the needle thread between the eye of the needle and the material being stitched, substantially as described.

6. The combination with a needle-bar and its actuating means, and a take-up lever and its actuating cams, of a slide containing the fulcrum for said take-up lever, and a cam to actuate said slide quickly in one direction and gradually in the opposite direction, substantially as described.

l 7. In a sewing machine, a throat-plate; a presser-foot, its carrying arm; the lever b2 connected to said arm and adapted to lift it; and a latch pivoted to said lever; combined` with devices to lift the said presser-foot; and a stop motion rock-shaft having a Wing, the said latch being made to engage the Wing of said shaft when the presser-foot is lifted from the material, to operate, substantially as described.

8. In a sewing machine, the following instrumentalities,viz;=a needle-bar containing an eye-pointed needle, a complemental stitchforming under thread carrier; feeding mechanism adapted to automatically feed the material for a series of stitches of diierent roo I ro

length; a tension device; a take-up, and devices to automatically and graduallyincrease the distance between the acting end of the said take-up and the said tension device after the commencement of stitching and during the variation in length of stitch due to variat1ons in feed stroke,substantially as described.

9. The combination with stitch -forming mechanism, including a needle-bar, and an eye-pointed needle fixed thereto and adapted to sew with a continuous thread, a Work support, feeding mechanism to clamp the material, and devices to move said feeding mechanism automatically for varying distances; of thread-controlling mechanism, and devices to impart to the same automatically a variable movement in accordance with the variations in the length of feed stroke of the feeding mechanism and the length of the stitch, substantially as described.

.10. In a sewing machine, a throat-plate to support the material, the arm H, its attached presser-foot bearing on the material on said throat-plate, and means to actuate said arm independently of the throat-plate to cause said presser-foot to feed the material over said throat plate; and a cutter lever mounted onl said arm, combined with a lever to move said cutter lever and then said arm, for the purposes set forth.

1l. The combination with aneedle-bar having an eye-pointed needle, and a tension device, of an intermediate variably moving thread-controlling eye or device and devices to actuate it, whereby the distance between the tension device and the eye of the needle around and through the said controlling device is less at the commencement of stitching than after the formation of one or several stitches, substantially as described.

12. Asewing machine containing the following instrumen talities,viz a-stitch-forming mechanism; a throat-plate to su pport the material to be stitched; a foot to bear upon the material lying on said throat-plate; athread cutter; and devices to operate said foot intermittingly to feed the material over said throatplate and' to lift the said foot therefrom, and to actuate the said thread cutting mechanism, whereby the thread is cut olf and the material is unclamped during one and the same operation, substantially as described.

13. In a sewing machine, the following instrumentalities, vizz-a needle-bar having an eye-pointed needle; a tension device for the needlethread; a thread controlling eye or device to engage the needle-thread between the said tension device and needle, and devices to vary the relative positions of said thread controlling eye and tension device pre paratory to commencing the first of a series of stitches, substantially as described.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specification in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

J OHN REECE. 

